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Last year Detroit was the better team going into the series, but not this year. Crosby, Malkin, Staal, Gonchar Fleury, they're all ready to go, as is Detroit, but the Pens are more familiar with the Red Wings now and played them twice in the regular season. I think they are the hotter team and take the Cup in 6 games

Pens in 7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Pens bring home a third championship to the city of Pittsburgh in four years......Next up for a championship is the Pirates.....lol To bad we all will be waiting forever for the Pirates to win a World Series....lol

I have a question........

As Bookie, i was reading the lines for today (5/30) game. and I couldn't believe that you can actually bet on rather or not An Octopus is thrown on the ice......

Has anyone every seen/heard about such a thing being done or does this octopus stand for something symbolic.

I just thought it was pretty odd that a team would do this and for what purpose behind doing this was. If anyone watches the game tonight and they see it on TV would you be so kind to let me know.... Thanks.

"It is hard to wait around for something that you know may never happen;but it's even harder to let go when it's everything you want"
-unknown

The 1952 playoffs featured the start of the tradition—the octopus throw. The owner of a local fish market, Peter Cusimano, threw one from the stands onto the ice. The eight legs were purportedly symbolic of the eight wins it took to win the Stanley Cup at the time. The Red Wings went on to sweep both of their opponents that year en route to a Stanley Cup championship. The NHL has, at various times, tried to eliminate this tradition but it continues to this day.

There is a certain etiquette that must be followed for fans that wish to throw octopuses onto the ice. The most appropriate time to throw an octopus onto the ice is after the national anthem is sung or after the Red Wings have scored a goal. Under these circumstances, the eight-legged creature must be thrown onto the ice surface in an area that is clear of all players. It is never acceptable to aim for opposing players. Beforehand, octopuses are usually boiled to reduce the amount of "slime" coating and facilitate the time it takes to clean up the ice and prevent further delay. Since Joe Louis Arena does not condone the throwing of any foreign objects onto the ice, fans often sneak the sea creatures in wrapped around their bellies in trash bags. The boiling process also lessens the odor and allows the fans to get past security. Tactics are also used to protect the identity of octopus-throwers from arena security. It is common practice for the hurler to ask the surrounding people to stand up with him to shroud the task in anonymity.

Al Sobotka is the man responsible for removing the thrown creatures from the ice. He is known for swinging the tossed octopuses above his head when walking off the ice. On April 19, 2008, NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell sent a memo to the Detroit Red Wings organization that forbids Zamboni drivers from cleaning up any octopuses thrown onto the ice and that violating the mandate would result in a $10,000 fine. Instead, it will be the linesmen who will perform this duty. In an email to the Detroit Free Press NHL spokesman Frank Brown justified the ban because "matter flies off the octopus and gets on the ice" when Al Sobotka does it. This ban, however, was later loosened to allow for the octopus twirling to take place at the zamboni entrance.